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SWAFFHAM PRIOR WITH REACH, EXTRACT FROM THE
MINUTES OF THE PCC MEETING HELD ON 22nd JULY 2002 AT GOODWIN MANOR,
SWAFFHAM PRIOR AT 7.30 P.M.
1. Treasurers’ Reports
Reach
The Vicar presented the report in the absence of Laura Nottingham.
Half Year Receipts £983. 70 Expenses £3772. 18
BPA Balance £1203.06 CBF Balance £48308. 81
The Social Working Group had raised £384
Swaffham. Prior
Michael Cazenove presented the Receipts and Payments account 1st January
to 20th July £2236 had been raised at the Festival for the Centenary
Restortion.£855 was earmarked for the new pulpit, and £200 had been
collected at Jan Peterson’s farewell. The Treasurer was optimistic for
once as we are not running at a deficit, and all bills had been paid for
the vestry.
2. Social Working Groups’ Reports
Reach
The Summer Barbecue had raised £157. A cake stall at Newmarket market
was to be arranged later in the year. Harvest Supper would be Friday 4th
October and Harvest Service 6th October; Thanksgiving Day 16th November
(and St Etheldreda’s Fair); Cambridge Voices Concert 17th November 4.00
p.m.
Swaffham Prior: The following dates were to be noted:
Thanksgiving Day : 7th Sep tember (postponed –Oct 8th); Cycle Ride: 14th
September; Harvest Lunch: 8th September, 12.00 p.m. (after Family
Service); Macmillan Coffee Morning: 27th September; Cambridge Voices
Concert :6th No (not confirmed); Village Variety Show: 23rd November;
Advent By Candlelight:8th December , 4.00 p.m.
3. Fabric and Finance Reports
Swaffham Prior
John Norris reported that the vestry was not quite finished. The lead
wiring had been replaced by a local electrician. A fence was to be put
up against the new wall behind 47 High Street for safety’s sake. John
Norris had written to John Selby to ask why the “throw” over the gate
had not yet been lit, and the lighting standard removed. The clock bell
was now chiming every hour during the night. The drawing for the new
pulpit had had to be slightly amended. The leak in the roof had to be
mended - Russell Sheen would be approached.
Reach
The Vicar, John Norris, Laura Nottingham, Doreen Robinson Norah Smith
had met the architect, Ian Frearson to discuss how to reduce the bills
for the screen and vestry re-ordering to a maximum of £20,000.
John Norris suggested that the wooden inside panel of the
entrance should be kept, and that a central glass door should be inserted
into this. The outside doors should be hinged to open outwards. He
proposed that there should be no sink and no new lobby, to save money,
and that the panelling in the vestry should be pulled forward. This was
seconded by Doreen Robinson and carried nem.con. The architect was to be
asked to produce more drawings to incorporate this new plan, and ask for
more tenders.
REVEREND MARK HAWORTH
On September 1st we said a regretful goodbye to Mark
Haworth, who has been Vicar of Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior and Reach
for nine years, and Rural Dean for five years. He has now withdrawn from
ordained ministry for the immediate future to take up teacher training.
We shall miss his dynamic services and his gifted contributions to the
musical life of the church. We are now in an interregnum and involved in
the business of making arrangements for coverage of services and duties
and looking forward to the future of the parishes.
A meeting was held at Swaffham Prior Hall on Monday 9th
September at 7.30 pm., which was attended by Churchwardens, Treasurers and
PCC Secretaries of Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior and Reach. The Revd
Stephen Earl, the Vicar of Burwell, who is acting as Rural Dean, explained
the arrangements to made for this benefice during the interregnum, as
follows:
1. Sunday and other Services
The benefice would share the ministrations of several
clergy, i.e.: Revd Roger Bowen from Cambridge, Revd Stephen Earl, Revd
David Bush and John Hooper (a Lay Reader) from Burwell, Sheila Cameron, a
Lay Reader from Great St Mary’s, and occasionally Chris Barber and Revd
Laurie Marsh would officiate. John Roebuck , from Swaffham Bulbeck would
be drawing up a list of services in each Church, and these should be
published in the ‘Bulbeck Beacon’, The ‘Swaffham Crier’, and ‘Out of
Reach’. Notices of Services would also be posted on Church Notice
Boards.
2. Funerals, weddings, baptisms
Application for these would have to made initially to the
Churchwardens of the parish, John Norris (Tel 01638 741465) and Carolyn
Cazenove (01638 742277) who would refer the applicants to an appropriate
clergyman. Revd Stephen Earl would help with preparing wedding couples
for marriage, and with pastoral care.
3. Family Services, School Assemblies, Toddlers Services
These did not need to be conducted by a clergyman, so they
could be taken by laity. Volunteers would be needed.
4. Confirmation Preparation
Revd Stephen Earl would be running confirmation
preparation classes from mid-October. The Churchwardens were to be
informed of candidates in each parish, who would refer them to Revd Earl.
5. Expenses and Fees
Sequestration forms were distributed for churchwardens to
use for paying the expenses and fees of clergy visiting the parishes.
Regular clergy within the Deanery would not ask for fees, but only
travelling expenses. All others, including Revd David Bush would have to
be paid fees and travelling expenses. Some of these expenses could be
fairly shared between the three churches.
6. Communion by Extension
Revd Earl explained that Lay Readers would administer
Communion by Extension, when the elements would be blessed at a Holy
Communion Service, by an ordained minister, and taken to another church,
where they would be kept in an appropriate place, and administered by a
Lay Reader at a service which excluded the Prayers of Consecration.
THE FUTURE
The Archdeacon, Revd Geoffrey Watson, later joined the
meeting, together with all the members of Swaffham Prior and Reach PCC
and Revd Stephen Earl. The Archdeacon told the PCC the possible plans for
this benefice in the future.
As there has been a fall in the number of clergy in the
Diocese, clergy had to be deployed in the most economical way in the
Deanery. It was proposed, therefore, that an incumbent should be sought
as soon as possible for the vacant position at Bottisham, who would also
have the care of Lode, Swaffham Bulbeck and Swaffham Prior. Reach would
then be looked after (informally) by the incumbent of Burwell.
It was planned to advertise for an incumbent for Bottisham
by mid-October. He/she would be interviewed by a panel, including
representatives from each parish, and perhaps an appointment could be made
in the New Year. Each parish was asked to prepare a Parish Profile as
soon as possible, to help in the selection of a suitable candidate.
Jenny Moseley (PCC Secretary) |
